Car-coupling



(No Model.) R. CLARK.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 360,657. Patented Apr; 5, 1887.

rag. 4.

WITNESSES:

U ATTORNEY.

N. Farms. mammm yr. Walhingion. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD CLARK, OF CAMDEN, ASSIGNOR TO \VILLIAM GOFFIN, OF

ASHLAND, NElV JERSEY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,657, dated April 5,1887.

Serial No. 120,648. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Camden, State of New Jersey, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Oar-Couplings, whichimprovement is fully set forth in the following specification andaccompanying drawings, in which- Figurelrepresents a bottom plan view ofa car'coupling embodying my invention, one of the hooks thereof being inhorizontal section. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical sectionthereof. Fig. 3 represents a top view thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

My invention consists of an automatic carcoupling consisting of adraw-head to which is pivoted a coupling-hook, the axis whereof formsmeans for the engagement of the hook of the opposite car, the said hookbeing formed as hereinafter fully set forth.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the draw-head of a car, which isformed of a piece of metal bent into U shape, the crown or bend havingan opening to receive the bolt by which said draw-head is fastened inposition, said bolt being freely connected with a sliding cross-head, A,between the front and rear bars of which a spring, A isinterposed, saidbars being supported on a hanger, A, attached to the truck.

The draw-head A is of such length that it does not proj eet beyond thebumpers, whereby when the cars come together the draw-heads do notstrike each other, and they are consequently prevented from beingfractured or broken by said action of the cars. It will be seen that,owing to this construction of the draw'head of a piece of bent metal, itpossesses strength, combined with lightness, ease of manufacture, andconvenience of application and removal.

Firmly secured to the outer end of the drawhead is a crossbar, B, whichextends transversely, and has mounted on it between the arms of thedraw-head a swinging hook, O, which is of such length that it may reachthe crossbar of the draw-head of the opposite'ear and engage therewith.The outer bar of the crosshead yields when there is inward pressure orstrain on the coupling-hooks, and the inner bar yields when there isdraft 011 the coupling. Connected with the hook is a chain, D, which maybe attached to a rotary shaft or lever, or other device,whereby it maybe raised for purpose of uncoupling cars and lowered when the cars areto be coupled.

When the cars are uneoupled,the hooks hang freely from the crossbars B,and when they are to be coupled one of the hooks is raised and its backrested against the front crossbeam of the platform, as shown by thedotted lines, Fig. 2. The cars now approach, and when the bumpers orplatforms strike each other the jarring causes the hook to leave itsplace of rest and drop on the opposite crossbars, the nose of the hookbeing in such posision that it fully engages with said cross-bar whenthe ears are started, and thus the coupling is effected, as will be mostplainly seen vin Fig. 2.

the outer bend of said link, and when the cars come close together thehook rides on said bend and lowers between the sides of the link withoutdisengagement, so that as the coupling is again straightened out by theseparation of the ears the nose of the hook remains connected with thelink.

The coupling-hook may be made of any suitable metal, but for superiorstrength is formed of a single piece of wrought metal cut into shape andbent at the nose portion a, and spread, forming the forks b or axialportion, the latter resting close adjacent to the inner sides of thedraw-head.

If desired, the hook may be held in elevated position by the chain D orby hand, and lowered so as to drop on and engage with the oppositecross-bar or coupling-link.

I am aware that it is not new to form a carcoupling having a pivotedhook adapted to drop, and thereby secure the cars; but I am ICO notaware that the said hook has been constructed so as to engage with thebar on which the hook of the other draw-head is pivoted; neither amaware that the hook employed in the said coupling device has been formedof wrought metal, bent, forming a n0se,and spread axially, as hereindescribed, the axial portion being forked and pivoted to said cross-barwithin the side limbs of the U-shaped drawhead,thereby reliably securingthe said hook in position on said cross-bar.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A car coupling having a draw head formed of a bent piece of metalwith a cross bar attached to the side limbs thereof, and provided with ahook having a forked axial portion pivoted to the cross-bar within saidlimbs, substantially as described.

2. A car-coupling consisting of a draw-head formed of a bent piece ofmetal having a crossbar attached to the side limbs thereof, and a hookwith forked axial portion pivoted to the cross-bar within said limbs,either or both of 2 5 his 7 RICHARD CLARK.

mark

\Vitnesses:

JOHN A. XVIEDERsHnIM, A. P. GRANT.

